NASFAA On the Record

In written comments submitted last week to the Department of Education (ED), NASFAA thanked the administration for its long-standing commitment to improve college access, affordability and transparency for students and families. The document also expressed some concerns related to limitations of current postsecondary ...

Dec. 3, 2013 - Members of Congress learned of NASFAA’s proposals for strengthening the Pell Grant Program, including the “Pell Promise,” “Pell Well,” and “Super Pell,” at December 3, 2013 House Subcommittee for Education and the Workforce hearing, “Keeping College Within Reach: Strengthening Pell Grants for Future Gen...

Washington, DC, July 18, 2013 -- Today, a group of U.S. Senators from both sides of the aisle introduced a compromise measure to lower interest rates for 100 percent of borrowers who have taken out, or will take out, a new federal student loan after July 1, 2013.

In comments submitted to the Department of Education, NASFAA encourages the Department to institute a similar comment process and time-frame for the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) and highlights challenges the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community faces when completing the FAFSA.

In written testimony submitted to the Senate Committee on Finance, NASFAA joined 11 other higher education organizations to express strong support for extending the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the above-the-line deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses, the Employer-provided Educational Assistance ben...

The Senate Finance Committee has reached a tax credit deal that would expand the above-the-line deduction for qualified tuition-related expenses (tuition deduction). NASFAA has joined the American Council on Education (ACE) in expressing strong support for extending the tuition deduction, as well as the AOTC and other...

National Association of Student Financial AidAdministrators (NASFAA) President Justin Draeger issued the following statement in response to the recommendations put forth by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB's) report on private student loans.

The American Council on Education (ACE) and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) sent a joint letter signed by NASFAA and 10 other associations to Veterans Affairs (VA), expressing points of confusion with regard to VA's letter to institutions requesting emailed confirmation of...

June 27, 2012 -- NASFAA President Justin Draeger issued this statement in response to the proposal to temporarily extend the 3.4 percent rate on subsidized Stafford loans and to permanently limit eligibility for these same subsidized loans to 150 percent of the program length.

On Friday, June 22, the American Council on Education (ACE) and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) sent a joint letter signed by NASFAA and 10 other associations to Veterans Affairs (VA), expressing strong belief in the fundamental tenets of the "Principles of Excellence for ...

NASFAA submitted comments and suggested improvements to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on its beta version of the "Financial Aid Comparison Shopper," an interactive, online tool designed to help students and families compare the costs of post-secondary education at various institutions. While emphasiz...

In preparation for another round of negotiated rulemaking this fall, NASFAA submits its comments on proposals for regulatory action. The Department of Education has suggested establishing or revising regulations to address fraud, disbursement provisions of the cash management regulations and campus-based programs.

NASFAA appreciates the opportunity to provide comment on the CFPB College Cost Comparison Worksheet. Overall, NASFAA supports the concept of students and families being able to compare postsecondary institutions accurately so that they can be empowered to make informed and responsible decisions about postsecondary edu...

NASFAA joined the higher education community in signing written testimony to Congress to express support for extending higher education tax benefits, including the American Opportunity Tax Credit, set to expire at the end of the year.

NASFAA joins 40 higher education associations in signing a letter drafted by the American Council on Education to express support for enacting legislation to keep the interest rate on subsidized Stafford loans from doubling -- from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent -- on July 1. Democrats and Republicans have each proposed l...

NASFAA joins several other higher education associations in signing a letter drafted by the American Council on Education to the House of Representatives to express support for enacting legislation to keep the interest rate on subsidized Stafford loans from doubling -- from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent -- on July 1.

NASFAA joined NACUBO and 12 other higher education associations in signing onto a letter urging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to halt the reinstatement of a policy that would offset veteran debts against Post-9/11 G.I. Bill tuition and fee payments. Currently, VA can recover a debt owed by a veteran fro...

As part of his FY 2013 budget request, and a larger college affordability plan, President Obama proposed the creation of a College Scorecard to enable students and families to compare college costs before making a decision on postsecondary education. NASFAA recently submitted comments on a draft Scorecard after the a...

NASFAA joined the American Council on Education (ACE) and six other associations to urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately issue the final version of student health insurance coverage regulations or delayed the regulations until the 2013-14 academic year.

NASFAA joined 22 higher education groups urging lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives to vote for legislation that would repeal the credit hour definition and state authorization regulations that took effect July 1, 2011.

NASFAA joined 22 higher education groups urging lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives to vote for legislation that would repeal the credit hour definition and state authorization regulations that took effect July 1, 2011. The House is scheduled to vote on the Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education Ac...

NASFAA President Justin Draeger urges Education Secretary Duncan to hold schools harmless for any inadvertent Pell Grant overpayments made to students who the Department of Education doesn't properly identify as having reached the new 12 semester Pell limit by the time the grant is disbursed.

The NASFAA Graduate and Professional Issues Committee (GPIC) and the AAMC Committee on Student Financial Assistance (COSFA) submitted their comments regarding Regulation Z requirements to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on private student loans. Although in agreement that borrowers need to be adequatel...

In a letter to the Department of Education, NASFAA stresses the value and function of financial aid administrators (FAAs) as Federal Student Aid (FSA) begins to finalize a Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2012-16. In the Jan. 17 letter, NASFAA recommends the Department more clearly define the role of financial aid admi...

In a letter to the Department of Education, NASFAA provides comment on the draft Federal Student Aid Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2012-16. As the association that represents student aid administrators—those that provide the actual link between the Department of Education and student aid recipients —NASFAA members p...

NASFAA joins the American Council on Education and several other organizations in writing a letter to members of the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education to express two commonly held, significant concerns with the approach outlined in the subcommittee's proposal for the FY 2012 Labor-HHS-...

NASFAA supports the Department of Education’s (ED) proposed changes to the requirements related to new gainful employment programs and appreciates ED’s efforts to reduce administrative burden wherever possible, NASFAA President Justin Draeger wrote in official comments submitted on Nov. 14. Final rules published on Oc...

NASFAA supports the Department of Education’s (ED) proposed changes to the requirements related to new gainful employment programs and appreciates ED’s efforts to reduce administrative burden wherever possible, NASFAA President Justin Draeger wrote in official comments submitted on November 14.

NASFAA submitted its letter on the 2012-13 draft paper FAFSA to the Department of Education Monday, Oct. 17, 2011, after soliciting and reviewing copies of members' comments and incorporating them into NASFAA's official comments. NASFAA thanks members who submitted copies of their comments to us. Your careful review o...

NASFAA joined more than 30 other higher education organizations signing a letter to urge Congress to reject a proposal in the House's fiscal year (FY) 2012 draft spending bill that would eliminate 41 percent of all federal funding for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

NASFAA commends the Advisory Committee for soliciting comment regarding higher education regulations from practicing financial aid administrators through the Higher Education Regulations Study (HERS). The fact that the topic of burdensome regulations has been a recurring issue over many years is indicative of the detr...

NASFAA President Justin Draeger issued the following statement concerning the House Appropriations Subcommittee's draft Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill for fiscal year (FY) 2012

NASFAA submitted its comments to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction as the committee negotiates a deficit reduction plan that can gain support in both chambers of Congress. NASFAA asked that the committee consider the vital role of the federal student aid programs to our country’s welfare and take efforts to shi...

NASFAA submitted these recommendations to improve financial aid award letters to the U.S. Department of Education. A tool for institutions to evaluate their award letters and for students and parents to evaluate award letters is included.

In response to the Department of Education’s request for comments on ways to improve financial aid award letters, NASFAA submitted its suggestions for a financial aid award letter model and best practices. In its comments, NASFAA states that standardization should apply primarily to definitions and terminology rather ...

NASFAA President Justin Draeger issued the following statement in response to Critical Choices: How Colleges Can Help Students and Families Make Better Decisions about Private Loans, a report from the Project on Student Debt at The Institute for College Access Success (TICAS).

Growing concern over cuts to the Pell Grant program has many in the higher education community examining ways to modify the program to mitigate cost and dissuade Congress from reducing the maximum award. In its advocacy efforts, and in evaluating any potential changes to student aid programs or funding, NASFAA adheres...

NASFAA joined several other higher education associations in signing onto a letter supporting legislation that would halt the Department of Education's regulations on state authorization and the definition of a credit hour.

NASFAA suggested several ways to streamline financial aid administration to reduce administrative and regulatory burdens in a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan in response to the Department of Education’s (ED) request for issues to discuss during the latest round of negotiated rulemaking sessions.

NASFAA Chair Laurie Wolf and President Justin Draeger note that the Department of Education's recent communication to college presidents will highlight the challenges financial aid administrators face.